14 July, 2009

Decorating for domestic violence

HAYS, Kansas – A former Hays resident has made a name for herself as an interior designer and this week she’s sharing her talents to help a worthy cause.

Caroline Von Lintel knows a thing or two about decorating a space to make it warm and welcoming. A few years ago, she decided to begin using her talents to help domestic violence shelters. To date she’s worked to refurbish and redesign five of them and now her focus is on a shelter in Hays.

“I was actually living here at a time when I had two small children, and I was sort of in a situation that the county really helped me,” said Caroline Von Lintel, with DV-8 Designs. “And I always thought if I ever get the chance to come back, I'm coming back.”

The Northwest Kansas Domestic Violence and SexualAssaultCenter serves 18 northwest Kansas counties and around 550 families a year. KSN can’t show the actual shelter, but those who work there say it's in need of serious repair.

“It's not that it's really bad now, it's just that it needs that fresh uplift,” said Charlotte Linsner, the shelter’s executive director. “Some of the rooms haven't really been touched for about 15 years you know.”

So this week Caroline is offering up design consultations at the Hays Ashley Furniture Store for clients who donate $25 to the NorthwestKansasCenter for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Ashley Furniture is pitching in with furniture donations – all of which will help spruce up the center.

“We're just going to take it inch by inch and add some color and change out the furniture and the flooring and the paint and the window coverings,” Caroline said.

Caroline hopes to begin working at the shelter in July, giving some much needed TLC to help families feel at home during the difficult time in their lives.

The Hays shelter is also hoping to add a resource center to its facility with computers for families to use.